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The pistachio nutshells which surround the pale green nutmeat are naturally a creamy light beige color. So where did that deep reddish-pink color come from? Food historians have conflicting explanations.

One source says the tradition originated with a Syrian importer named Zaloom, who dyed his pistachios red to distinguish them from his competitors.

Another holds they were dyed to mask mottled markings, a natural result of the drying process, to make them look more palatable to consumers.

On the other hand, natural-colored shells that are overly light have been whitened using large amounts of cornstarch and salt. The mottled, naturally-dried shells may not be as attractive, but they have no effect on the flavor of the nutmeat itself.

Tags:  shells color mottled naturally light nutmeat natural markings other colored